The Mistake That Saved Jack Bristow's Life
by Arhtea
Summary: Jack needs to break into an office and steal some secret documents. A damsel in distress gets in his way. Nothing deep, just some strangely friendly enemies and odd situations.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Alias. (Probably a good thing, I would just mess it all up.) No copyright infrigement is intended. **

The Mistake that Saved Jack Bristow's Life

Jack Bristow walked up the carpeted corridor past the expensive paintings and made his way towards the office. He was feeling quite confident about this. All there was to it, was getting the documents from the safe, planting a bug, returning to the party downstairs and in the evening leave through the front door. No mud ditches, bad guys with oversized machine guns or dangerous chemicals. Piece of cake.

He had already overridden the security feed, replaced it with a picture from the morning, obtained the safe codes and caused a small distraction for the guards. Now it was all a matter of picking the lock.

Examining the lock, Jack Bristow pulled out a small leather pocket in which he stored around a dozen silver instruments and chose one. Satisfied that the lock would take no more than half a minute, he bent down and got to work.

The mission itself was not exactly Jack Bristow's type. He had never been too good at undercover, his style involved more...action. Going to a party and pleasantly mingling with guests while planning on stabbing the host in the back was really more Sydney's thing. But they had needed someone, who good pass himself off as a lawyer and who'd look good in an expensive suit. Bristow wasn't going to argue. Besides if the stories about the Professor were the truth and he really was a psychopath, like they suggested, then stealing those files would be their only chance of rescuing the captured agent.

How Michael Vaughn could have been so stupid, to be captured by this guy, was beyond Jack. It was clear from the start that the Professor would stop at nothing, yet Vaughn had to play the hero. And everyone knows, how that is. One day you get a medal, the other you're lucky you weren't killed on the spot. In that sense he had been lucky.

When he was about half-way there, Jack Bristow was rather rudely interrupted by an ear-piercing scream, followed rapidly by a thud. He raised his head and quickly glanced around to see, if anyone was coming. As he saw no one, Jack sighed and went back to his work, thinking it must have been coming from the party and his over developed sense of danger had made it out to something it wasn't. After all that fancy lawyer who handled Professor's dirty dealings would not let anything happen at his party.

The next scream was louder and he almost dropped his lock pick. This time he was sure. This was definitely not his imagination. Someone was in trouble. Now usually wasn't much moved by something like this. He was able to keep his cool and stay away. But there was something about this situation. In his mind he couldn't help but pictured his daughter screaming for help.

NO. Jack Bristow shook his head. He is NOT going to stick his nose in. Whoever it was, she would be fine. If it had something to do with Walker, he couldn't help anyway. And if it didn't, then Walker would do something about it. The guards would soon pick it up on their monitors. And they would fix the problem Right? RIGHT!

Except that wasn't going to happen. Because he had disabled the bloody cameras himself. And most of the staff were otherwise occupied by the little mess he had caused. So there was no one to help that girl.

Another scream filled with pain and fear. No, not just a scream, a desperate beg for help! "To hell with that!" Jack muttered. Hastily he shoved the leather pocket away and ran towards the sound.


	2. Chapter 2

The mansion of the Walker family wasn't that big, but it had been planned by a rather eccentric person, who seemed to like sticking up walls in the most extraordinary places. The screams where getting stronger but always behind some wall and, as there seemed to be not much time, Jack hesitated just a second before putting back the ear-piece. "Shelton?" "What can I do for you, mister Bristow?" asked the ever cheerful tech guy.

"Tell me how do I get to the room on the other side of this wall?" ordered Jack. Even if Shelton found this wish to be strange, he kept his thoughts to himself and started giving instructions.

"Now another left and you're there!" stated Shelton finally, sounding rather proud. Jack nodded slightly, but he knew that already, for the screams were loud and rang desperately in his ears. "Er... Excuse me, mister Bristow, but what is going on?" the tech guy inquired as discreetly as possible. Bristow didn't have time for this, so he turned off his earpiece. He took a halt just at the corner and looked out carefully.

In the otherwise empty hall stood a man in a suit who was repeatedly punching a girl lying on the floor at his feet. She was bleeding and obviously in a lot of pain, but still fighting back, scratching and clawing at the man and trying to pull him off his balance. She didn't have great success, but still there was something about that. The fact that the girl just wouldn't give up. It reminded Jack of himself. Jack Bristow too had never backed down without a fight. He just had to help her.

Like a knight in shining Armour he strolled around the corner and intervened. He grasped the other man by his shoulders and pulled him off the girl. The other man punched him hard and tried to rip free from his grip. Bristow shoved the man against a wall and heard the sound of glass shattering, vaguely registering that he had managed to brake a mirror. The stranger recovered remarkably quickly and tried to push Bristow down by slamming his shoe into his knee. Jack fell but managed to drag the other man down also.

The other man was now on top of him, landing blows wherever he could. Jack was almost positive, his nose had been broken and blood spilled over his shirt.

Just as he began to make his move to even the odds, there was a loud crash and bits of ceramics fell on the floor around Bristow's head. He pushed the attacker off him and saw the girl standing over them, holding the remains of what had once been a beautiful vase. The girl looked frightened but quite determined.


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks!" said Bristow and proceeded to push the other man away. Then the sound of running feet and voices reached them, moments before two pairs of strong hands grabbed them and both men were pulled up rather roughly. Jack sighed. The cavalry had arrived.

Jack Bristow lifted his head and found himself looking straight into the eyes of their host. Only the welcoming warmth in Charles Walker's bright and piercing eyes had gone, replaced by something cold and unreadable. Now he was truly the cold-hearted spy Bristow had heared stories about. "What is going on here?" he demanded in a voice that was sharp enough to kill.

Then he saw the girl in the bloodstained dress still clutching the upper half of the vase. Suddenly his face changed and voice turned soft. The change was so radical, it seemed surreal. "What happened, Becca, darling?" he asked, taking a step closer. Her voice was quiet but calm and sure of herself. "He... he attacked me. And I tried to fight him off. But I couldn't. And then that man came to help me." she glanced at the shattered vase and added, her voice suddenly on the border of hysteria as the reality poured in, "And I broke your Ming vase. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to! I'll pay for it." Walker shook his head quickly, raised a hand to calm her and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, it was a cheap Victorian knock-off."

The girl almost smiled. "Do you want me to call the doctor? Or a car to take you home?" Walker inquired. "No, it's okay." she brushed her hair back, "If I could just get a chance to clean myself..." her voice trailed off as she glanced at her dress. "Of course. Take the guest bedroom upstairs. There should be spare clothes too, if you wish. Do you want Lucien to accompany you?" he was still looking worried. "I'll be fine." She placed the vase shard on a nearby table and walked away, giving a hesitant, akward smile to Jack over her shoulder.

Walker watched her leave, then turned back to the two men. "Jason, please let Mr. Bristow go!" his voice was light but it didn't fool Bristow for a second. He had used that voice a dozen times, to disguise his anger. "Mister Bristow, I cannot thank you enough for coming to the aide of my guest. Do you also wish to clean yourself up?" he was addressing one man while glaring at the other, the one who had attacked the girl. "If I may!" replied Bristow, sensing that Walker really just wanted an excuse to get rid of him. He was obviously not going to settle with only calling the police but didn't want to deal with the situation in front of a guest. "Of course. Up the stairs and second door on the left!" he replied calmly. "There are new shirts in the closet as well." "Thank you!" Jack Bristow replied and walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Two weeks ago in the building of Credit Dauphine**

Arvin Sloane stood up and looked around. "Good morning! I trust everyone had a pleasant weekend. Unfortunately the enemies of United States do not sleep!" Clicking on the remote control and brought up a picture of a man in his early fifties with neat salt-and-pepper hair and green eyes.

"This is Charles Walker. He is a successful litigator and a professor in the University of Tartu in Estonia." he paused for effect before continuing. "He is also the front for one of the most effectively run criminal operations in the Eastern-Europe. The organization provides military intelligence to the highest bidder."

"How does a lawyer set up something like that?" asked Dixon. "He didn't! It is really run by someone else. A man who's identity has been hidden even from Langley. Walker handles everything that requires a presentable spokesman." replied Bristow. Sloane nodded. "Three days ago a group of the organization's spies broke into CIA archives and stole four folders of files. This intelligence is very valuable to us and could do large amount of damage if it gets into the hands of our enemies!"

Jack Bristow stood up. "Our intelligence says that the files are currently at Walker's house in Tartu Estonia. Your mission is to gain access into Walker's house, get the files and get out. Dixon, you'll go posing as a journalist asking his comment on the current lawsuit that Appleblossom Avionics is facing. He was the mentor of the main attorney on the case and so this will not be suspicious. While you interview him, Sydney will enter the house through a back window and take the folders from his study."

Sydney shook her head in confusion. "I don't get it! Why would they only take four folders? It doesn't make any sense!" "This group caters to specific needs. Perhaps no more was asked!" Sloane spoke again,"Also, due to current political climate, it would be very unfavorable for CIA agents to be found on Estonia's soil without the government's permission. If you get caught, you're on your own! Go in, grab the files and get out! And be careful. This man does not take it well to be stolen from!"


End file.
